Store-service apparatus



(No Model.)

W. H. 'H.GRAM.

STORE SBRVIGE APPARATUS.

No. 439,387. Patented 0012.28.1890.

Wi-twapsep UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. H. CRAM, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,387, dated October28, 1890.

Application filed August 15,1889. Serial No. 320,800. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. H. CRAM, of the city of Detroit, in thecounty of \Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Store-Service Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in that kind of store-serviceapparatus in which a cash-car travels upon a taut wire; and the objectof my improvement is to provide an apparatus by which the operating ofthe cashcarrying car is facilitated. I attain this objeet in theapparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isa side elevation, partly broken away, of a storeservice apparatusembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 00 at, Fig. 1,looking toward the standard A. Fig. 3 is a section on the line (L' 00,Fig. 1,100];- in g toward the standard A, said standard and the wheels Iand II being omitted. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the troughD. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing a modified form of thelevers L M; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of the lever L.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A A is a square tube secured to the ceiling at its upper end and forminga support or standard for the other parts of the car-impellingapparatus.

B is a toothed rack sliding in the standard A.

O is a spiral spring inside of the standard A, having its lower endsecured to the upper end of the rack B, and its upper end secured to ornear the ceiling.

F is a cord attached to the lower end of the rack B and extending belowthe standard A. An opening 6 is formed through one side of said standardto permit the teeth of the wheel II to engage with the teeth of the rackB.

D D is a trough open along its upper side and secured at right angles tothe standard A at one side and near the lower end of said standard.

E is a toothed rack resting with its teeth upward in the trough D.

f is a projection from the end of the rack E. The upper edges of thesides of the trough D maybe turned in a short distance, as shown inFigs. 2 and 3, to prevent the accidental displacement of the rack E.

H and I are toothed wheels rigidly secured upon the shaft (Z. The shaftd bears in the projections a b c, which projections extend from thestandard A and the trough D. The teeth of the wheel H engage with theteeth of the rack B, and the teeth of the wheel I engage with the teethofthe rack E.

W \V are the wheels, and K is the frame, of the cash-carrying ear. L Mare levers pivoted to the frame K and adapted to oscillate in a plane atright angles with said frame. The levers L M are bent inward at theirends, so as to come into contact with the linewire J when their lowerends are forced outward. Said levers should not be placed opposite eachother, but one should be placed ahead of the other at about the distanceshown in Fig. 1.

L" M", Fig. 5, are modified forms of the levers L M. In this form thelevers consist of the two arms h 2' or g j, set at an angle to eachother and secured to the end of an upright m or n. Said uprights arepivoted in the frame K, so that the arms hi or gj oscillate inhorizontal planes. The levers L M are formed alike and have the relativeposition on the frame K of the levers L M. The ends of the levers L M LM, which come into contactwith the line-wire, may be covered with rubberto increase their friction on said wire when forced into contact withit.

B G are wings extending horizontally from the sides of the trough D. henthe levers L M are to be used, the ends of the wings R G which arefarthest from the standard A are formed to slant inward to the sides ofthe trough, as shown in Fig. 4.

P is the lid of the cash-receptacle and is rigidlysecured by arms Q tothe frame K. Around the lid P is formed a circular ridge or beadp.

O is the cash-receptacle.

T T are levers pivoted at S S to the cashreceptacle 0.

U U are hooks formed at the upper ends of the levers T T, adapted topass over the ridge 1) and secure the cash-receptacle O to the lid P.

V V are coil-springs adapted to press against the lower ends of thelevers T T and hold the hooks U U in engagement with the ridge 1).

The operation of my above-described device is as follows: The car beingat the station, the operator pulls upon the cord F, drawing the rack Bdownward, which rotates the 'wheel H, which carries with it the wheel I.The rotation of the wheel I drives the rack E forward, pressing theprojection f against the car and giving the car its initialimpulse,which carries it to the other end of the line. The racks B and Eare drawn back to their first positions by the spring 0. The wheel H ispreferably made of less diameter than the wheel I, so that a quickermotion will be given to the rack E than is given to the rack B. When thecar comes up to a station, the lower ends of the levers LM are forcedoutward by the slanting ends of the wings R G. The upper inner ends ofsaid levers are pressed against the line-wire J in opposite directions,thus crimping said wire between them and gradually arresting the motionof the car. In an entirely analogous manner the ends of the arms h g ofthe levers L M are forced against the line-wire, except that when thisform of the lever is used the ends of the wings R G should not slant asshown in Fig. 4, but should be square, or formed in a curve whosetangent is always parallel to the arms 2 j at its point of contact withsaid arms. In the form of the lever shown the slant would be inwardtoward the standard A, but by extending the arinsgh t'j in oppositedirections to those shown the slant would be away from said standard. Bythe use of the levers L M L M the disagreeable jar made by the car whenit comes into a station is avoided.

By the use of the above-described device for securing thecash-receptacle to its lid, trouble in fitting the two together isavoided, as they will always be readily secured when the center of thereceptacle is in line with the center of the lid.

I am aware that I am not the first inventor of a rack and pinion adaptedto drive a cashcar over its track, and I do not claim such a device,broadly; but,

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a rack and a pinion having its teeth meshingwith the teeth of said rack adapted to propel a cash-car over its track,of a toothed wheel H, secured upon the same shaft as said pinion, a rackB, adapted to reciprocate in a guide and havingits teeth meshing withthe teeth of said toothed wheel, means for drawing upon said rack, and aspring 0, for retracting said rack, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

2. The combination of a cash-car, as described, levers, substantially asdescribed, pivoted to the frame of said car at a distance apart in thedirection of the length of the car and adapted to be pressed uponopposite sides of the line-wire, and stationary wings or lugs foroperating said levers permanently secured at the station at the end ofthe linewire, substantially as and for the purpose described.

WVILLIAM H. H. ORAM.

Witnesses:

ROBERT W. WEBB, ELLIOTT J. STODDARD.

